The 2025 Africa Women’s Sevens exploded into life at the RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi as South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Madagascar stamped their authority on a thrilling opening day that delivered tries, tempo and a clear signal of intent from the continent’s leading sides. With the champion set to be crowned today and an HSBC SVNS Series Division Three place also on the line for the best-ranked team outside Kenya, the competition tightened dramatically as the knockout stages approached.
Defending champions South Africa wasted no time in showing why they arrived as favourites, putting Mauritius to the sword 68–0 in a one-sided opener before dispatching neighbours Zimbabwe 45–0 to finish Pool A with a perfect record. Their first match was a clinic in speed and precision, highlighted by braces from Maria Tshiremba, Simamkele Namba, Patience Mokone and Vianza Boer, while captain Nadine Roos kicked five conversions to go with a try of her own. The Zimbabwe encounter only reinforced their dominance, with Roos grabbing another double and Mokone completing a hat-trick in a performance that underlined their championship pedigree.
Zimbabwe recovered from the heavy loss to defeat Mauritius 29–5 in the other Pool A tie, securing a place in today’s Cup quarterfinals but still well behind the Springbok Women in overall form.
Hosts Kenya, runners-up in last year’s tournament, matched South Africa stride for stride on the adjacent pitch. Driven by their inspirational skipper Sheila Chajira, the Lionesses looked sharp, structured and ruthless as they brushed aside Côte d’Ivoire 44–0 before overwhelming Ghana 37–0 in Pool B. Every attack seemed to carry purpose, and their defensive line barely wavered, giving the home fans a buzzing sense that this could be the year the title finally lands in Nairobi.
Uganda, third last year and widely tipped as a serious challenger, kept their own ambitions alive with a strong Pool C showing. Charles Onen’s side opened with a 50–0 demolition of Burkina Faso, attacking with width and outrageous pace. Zambia provided a far sterner challenge later in the afternoon, but the Lady Cranes held their nerve to secure a hard-earned 20–14 win and join the list of unbeaten teams heading into the second day.
Madagascar rounded off the quartet of perfect performers after a spirited set of Pool D victories. The Lady Makis beat debutants Egypt 31–7 before grinding out a 21–14 win over Tunisia in one of the closest contests of the day. Their ability to mix flair with grit ensured they remained firmly in the hunt for both the title and the SVNS slot.
Matchday One produced lopsided scorelines but also glimpses of emerging quality from teams like Tunisia, Zambia and Ghana, each posting moments of promise despite coming up short against the top contenders. As the sun set over Nairobi, the script for a dramatic final day was already writing itself.
Sunday morning’s quarterfinals confirmed the hierarchy that had taken shape on Day One. South Africa breezed past Ghana 48–0, Madagascar edged Zambia 17–7, Uganda defeated Tunisia 31–12, and Kenya saw off Zimbabwe 33–12 to set up blockbuster semifinals loaded with rivalry and history. Kenya now face Uganda in a fierce East African derby that promises intensity from the opening whistle, while South Africa take on Madagascar in a clash between the defending champions and the continent’s fastest-rising sevens nation.
